


Halves of a Whole

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Darkpilot Force Bond Series [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Force-Sensitive Poe Dameron, M/M, Nonconsensual Force Tampering In Past, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, of sorts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22979893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: After the events of “Falling Skies”, Kylo trains under Palpatine, Poe trains as a Jedi, and the Force continues to connect them.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Kylo Ren
Series: Darkpilot Force Bond Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1651000
Kudos: 13





	Halves of a Whole

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was long after Kylo Ren had gotten the Sith wayfinder from the now-healed Mustafar that he headed to Exegol — and landed there.

Exegol itself was imposing, almost icy in nature. The way it looked, Kylo couldn’t help but think of his mother’s stories about Crait. Even that was enough to send an unpleasant stab of emptiness through his heart. Perhaps Poe was right, perhaps he was on the wrong path, and yet the idea of a way out...

He had been here for six years. Six years somehow felt like a decade. Longer than one would think. It had been easy to take the throne; it had been harder to discard the fact that even after Kylo had good as destroyed his mind, Poe Dameron still saw the good in him. 

And Kylo...there was no way around it. He loved him. But what had Bastila Shan said to Revan on the Star Forge? How she doubted that love could save her from the sea of darkness she was drowning in. It didn’t work that way. 

He entered the complex. He felt, suddenly, foolish entering with just his blaster in hand. The blaster Poe had given him. He felt, at least, like a fool — probably a sentimental one too, clinging to a gift that his bondmate had given him so they could both survive. 

And he was going in there to confront...who knows who, actually? 

Even as he made his way through the hallways with their bizarre lighting and their chilled air, Kylo couldn’t help but think of campfire stories that he’d heard about regarding Sith temples back when he was still a Padawan at Luke’s Temple. He wondered, in the end, if reality lived up to the campfire stories. Even continuing through, seeing odd receptacles that looked like bacta tanks, and those things that looked like exact replicas of Snoke...what were those things? Snoke had said he’d become Snoke as opposed to being born Snoke, but if he was somehow a clone (and clones had to take extra work to be Force Sensitive without rapid psychological degeneration), but...

If Snoke was nothing more than a copy...who was the creator?

"Well, Kylo Ren,” the slithery voice from Kylo’s mind said, “In the flesh. I must say, though...coming with a blaster?” A sound that Kylo could only assume was tsking. “Hardly dignified.”

”There were extenuating circumstances,” Kylo said. 

”I see.” A beat. “My latest masterpiece. I was only wondering when he would come to me.”

Kylo stepped closer — and he swore that what he saw caused him to freeze in the utmost shock. He could deal with anything — Knights of Ren, Supreme Leaders, angry scavengers, being stranded, losing his bondmate — anything except the dead returning. The pale, decrepit remains of Emperor Palpatine, attached to a bizarre sort of crane. 

”Impossible,” Kylo said. 

”Surprised?” Palpatine said. “It’s as the old Sith on Moraband, or should I say Korriban, say. A true Sith never dies.”

”You’re not simply one Sith,” Kylo said. He could feel it — it was like there were multiple presences, trapped Sith presences, in Palpatine, struggling for release. 

”Indeed. You could say I am a legion of the Sith. For I am many.” A beat. “You took long enough coming here, Kylo Ren.”

”No one can survive being trapped in the explosion of a Death Star,” Kylo said. 

”Very few,” Palpatine said. “The second Death Star landed in pieces in a moon in the Endor system. Kef Bir. For some time, perhaps shorter, perhaps longer, I languished in the depths of the sea...before I was salvaged. Brought to Exegol. I was left...in rather poor shape, as you can see. One does not suffer a betrayal by their weak apprentice lightly.”

Kylo didn’t know whether to defend his grandfather or agree with Palpatine. 

Palpatine continued. “There are...techniques in the Dark Side of the Force that some would see as unnatural. The ways of Darth Plagueis the Wise — I had learned those ways long ago.”

”Why didn’t you fulfill my grandfather’s wish to save my grandmother?”

”Her work was finished,” Palpatine said, almost like he was surprised that Kylo didn’t already know. “Surely Snoke taught you. ‘He will immortalize his love.’ The Sith have no room for sentiment. Only mercy is worse than love. To let Senator Amidala die — it was part of your grandfather’s training. Part of what was needed to make him complete.” A beat. “There must always be an Anakin Skywalker and a Padme Amidala for each generation. One to be sacrificed, another to ascend.” 

It was horrible. And yet, it made sense. Too much sense. Dark Siders could not take those they loved on such dark paths, as Jedi could not. Snoke had commented on the similarities when he had been teaching Kylo. 

”That blaster is a keepsake, isn’t it?” Palpatine said. “From your soulmate.” He said the word “soulmate” disdainfully. “How...disgustingly sentimental. If you think that a mere blaster can take me down even in my reduced state, I say you watch too many bad holovids.”

”That,” Kylo said, “Doesn’t matter.” A beat. “What can you offer me?”

”A fleet. Further training. The ridding of the conflict inside you that grows like a cancer. It was an oversight of mine, naturally,” Palpatine said, almost casually. “I needed an apprentice. A more loyal and powerful than the wasted potential that was Vader, the animal that was Maul, the loose turbolaser that was Tyrannus. So there was you. Snoke, on my orders...well, you could say that he was your second father.”

”Why should I believe you?” And yet, it made sense. Why Snoke would have been watching over him (in a sense) all these years. In a way, Ben Solo was Han Solo and Leia’s son, but he was also Snoke’s...even though they most likely only shared midichlorians and Force abilities, not DNA. 

”You never wondered how you were so powerful? Snoke gave you these abilities. As did I. Plagueis’ ability couldn’t just create life from nothing. It modified life.” A beat. “Don’t look so appalled, Kylo Ren. We made you mighty. We made you strong. A perfect union between Light and Dark. Though Snoke was more onboard with it; he always was fascinated with Balance. I suppose it’s in the DNA I used to make him...”

”Why me?”

”The Empire’s work is yet unfinished,” Palpatine said. “I wasn’t about to let my hard work go to waste. And you were made to be Snoke’s scion, if not mine. I can perfect your powers. Make you into the man you were meant to be...and Dameron too.”

Kylo paused. He ought to destroy this man who’d ruined his life — who’d helped make him who he was. A union between Light and Dark that he’d never wanted to be.

And yet, he wanted to understand. To know. To bring Poe with him, if at all possible — did every Dark Sider not need an apprentice of their own?

"I will learn then,” Kylo said. “All I am, all you know.”

”Good,” Palpatine said. “Only beware of Dameron. He will kill you — literally or metaphorically. I have foreseen two options, either one culminating in your downfall. And with your...circumstance, it may be worse.”

”Then I will be strong. Stronger than I was.”

”That,” Palpatine said, “Remains to be seen.”


End file.
